GROWTH AND STRAIN SYMMETRIZATION OF SI GE/C/SN QUATERNARY ALLOYS BY MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY/

We have synthesized, via molecular beam epitaxy alloys of SixSnyC1-x-y with symmetric strain. In this work we report the growth of systems w ith varying compositions/band Saps including the first silicon-based q uaternary (Si/Ge/Sn/C) system, which offers an additional degree of fr eedom for strain and band gap engineering in Si-based alloys. We repor t the growth of Si.955Sn.03C.015 alloys up to 4500 Angstrom in thickne ss and quaternaries of composition in the neighborhood of Si.835Ge.125 Sn.03C.01. Infrared absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence data have provided evidence of the potential for significant band gap modi fication in these alloys. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.